If you are an athlete, and on scoring a victory, you just may get down on one knee and bow your head.

If you swim for the gold and win, you lift your eyes and point to the ceiling; and if you are interviewed by a sportsperson, you may start by saying, "First, giving thanks to God . . ."

Well, in this attempt at literary arts, I make no claim at winning anything, but in this book, I have run the race and completed it. For this pleasure alone, I lift my heart in praise, worship and gratitude to God.

Like the seventeen-year Cicada, this work has finally reached its molting. Seventeen years buried in the earth in its cocoon, it is finally ready and because God has been its Provocateur, Overseer and Cultivator, he does indeed warrant first thanks. It has been a privilege and honor to be a part of it.

Second, and almost as close to the top as God, is my wife Bonnie. Like me, she has agonized over every word. She has edited, argued and construed. She has added a bit here and a bit there. No one can use literary scissors like her, much to my pain; and then when I see her finished work, to my immense joy. Incredibly, more important than her investment of hundreds of hours with this book, was her encouragement and her belief in me. She actually thinks I can write, silly girl. It is beyond my reach to say how much I truly appreciate all of this, or how very much it has contributed to the finished work.

We walked a precarious path, she, advising me on what a reader might enjoy, and what not; I, remonstrating on the presumption of how her efforts could possibly improve on what I had already written. She won most of these elephantine struggles, as she well should have. I shall take to eternity the vision of her broad smile and dancing eyes, when I, at length announced, "The deed is done!" No man on earth could possibly have such a nourishing life partner. For this, my debt of gratitude to God knows no bounds.

To David, my son and professional advisor, I owe an enormous debt. Awash in thanksgiving for the support and attentions of such a son, I am honored that David has been, and will remain my stalwart. He has helped form this book, sometimes even when he didn't know it.

Dr. Louis Tharp, psychologist and professor of Philosophy and Religion, has thundered at me incessantly to get this project done, not because he thought me a procrastinator, which, of course, I am, but because he believes in its message. I have known him for almost forty years. We have laughed together, sailed together, argued together, gone to the dinner theater together, eaten in Mexican restaurants together, and along with his beautiful wife, Anna, for a time, lived in the same house (his) together. Without Lou's thudding and prodding, this book might still be lying in fragments on my computer. He helped in its formation, and especially helped make its completion possible.

Linda Lashley, English professor and dearest friend, proved invaluable in providing important, professional editorial support. She examined each comma, each quotation mark, caught spelling errors and made extremely helpful suggestions regarding the use of specific words. In other words, she did the job of a top-notch, professional editor. In going through her work on the manuscript, I was awed and humbled by her gracious gift of time, talent and training. So much was Linda's contribution that with her oversight the work has immensely benefitted. Thank you, Linda for your help.

Thanks also to Nancy Stockton, who was extremely helpful in this regard.

Our daughter, Pamela Petersen, was kind enough to allow me to use her warm, heartfelt thoughts of her newborn son, and in this story, they found their way into Mary's thoughts of her newborn Son. There are so many others to thank: Rod Pejsar and his marvelous twin daughters, Robin and Karen, who provided graphic arts support. For Ray Bailey, whose enthusiasm, moral and technical support, I am deeply grateful. To all my family and friends who have tolerated my emails requesting feedback on this passage or that, thank you.

For each person mentioned here, and for all who impacted this work without knowing they were doing so, I offer my thanksgiving to God. I earnestly hope you find the result something of which you can be proud.

--Paul Morris